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Stories from Buddhism: Fa Shun

Mu Mu

PureInsight | May 6, 2007

[PureInsight.org] Shi Fashun,
whose original surname was Du, was born in Wannian County in Yongzhou.
He had a gentle nature and became a monk when he was eighteen,
following the master Sengzhen in the Yinsheng Temple. There were many
miracles associated with Fashun.

Fashun once solicited some wealthy people to provide free food in
Qingzhou. They provided enough food for five hundred people. On
the day, however, more than five hundred people went there, which
caused panic in the people who were to distribute the food. Fashun told
them: "Don't worry." To their surprise, the food was enough for even a
thousand people.

Two persons named Zhang Hejiang and Zhang Hongchang raised some
livestock that were very hot-tempered, so those animals were regarded
as devils. No one wanted to buy them, though the owners wanted to sell
them. Fashun talked to those creatures gently and then they became
docile.

Fashun once led some people to practice Buddhism on Li Mountain. There
were many insects and ants on the mountain, which created great
difficulties in planting vegetables. Fashun worried about any damage to
the insects and ants and asked them to move away. Shortly after that,
people went to check the mountain and found no more insects or ants
there.

There were two peasants, one named Tian Sachui, who was born deaf, and
one named Zhang Su, who was born mute. Fashun learned about them and
asked them to come to sit with him. Soon, they became normal.

A monk in Wugong County was troubled by a poisonous dragon and was
brought by others to Fashun. When they sat face-to-face, the poisonous
dragon said, through the monk: "Since the master is here, I am
not staying anymore." Soon after that the monk became normal.

After that, everyone who was sick went to see Fashun. He didn't need to
use any magic powers. He would just sit face-to-face with the patient
who would then recover shortly.

One day, Fashun was going to Nanye though the Huang Canal. The canal
was full of water and the banks were unyielding and very slippery.
Suddenly Fashun fell into the water. The flow stopped at that very
moment., Fashun crossed the canal on the canal bed without water. When
Fashun reached the other side, the flow went back to normal.